Barnett fails drug test, gets dropped from Affliction card

Josh Barnett’s loss could be Vitor Belfort’s gain.

Barnett was supposed to fight the world’s top-ranked heavyweight, Fedor Emelianenko, on the “Affliction: Trilogy” mixed martial arts card Aug. 1 in Anaheim, Calif. Instead, Barnett was denied a license by the California State Athletic Commission due to a positive drug test.

Belfort has agreed to step in for Barnett to face Emelianenko in the main event on the card, according to Belfort’s trainer, Shawn Tompkins.

Belfort, a former Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight champion who has scored knockout victories in Affliction’s past two events, was already on the card. He had been preparing to cut weight, however, for a 185-pound matchup with Jorge Santiago.

“For the next week, we don’t have to worry about doing cardio exercises, and he can relax on his diet,” Tompkins said of suddenly training Belfort for a heavyweight bout. “We’re going to obviously try to get up as high as we can comfortably.”

Tompkins said Belfort is currently about 204 pounds but hopes to be about 210 on fight night. With a full training camp to prepare for a heavyweight bout, he said Belfort would try to come in at 220 to 222.

“If we try to make him too heavy, too quick, it’s going to hurt us,” Tompkins said. “We’ve got to be prepared to go the distance.”

Emelianenko generally fights at about 235 pounds.

Early Wednesday, Affliction vice president Tom Atencio would not confirm Emelianenko’s replacement opponent.

“I’ve got three people who I’m speaking with,” he said. “Negotiations are in place, but until I have a contract finalized and it’s done, I’m just not going to say anything. It just doesn’t make sense for me to get anybody’s hopes up.”

Attempts to reach Atencio late Wednesday were unsuccessful.

Barnett was denied a license by the CSAC on Tuesday when a sample taken June 25 came back positive for an anabolic steroid.

Barnett has the opportunity to appeal the decision, and CSAC interim executive officer Dave Thornton confirmed Wednesday that Barnett has asked the CSAC to test the “B” sample taken from him at the same time the positive sample was provided.

This is not the first time Barnett has failed a drug test. The 31-year-old tested positive for steroids in 2002 after winning the UFC heavyweight title from Randy Couture.